The official countdown has begun to the Lancashire Colleges’ Skills Competition Programme 2026, and Burnley College is proud to announce its role as host for several of the highly anticipated competitions.
Taking place across Lancashire from 2nd to 18th March 2026, this unique, collaborative programme will see learners from all Further Education and Sixth Form colleges in the region compete in a showcase of technical excellence, innovative thinking and teamwork.
Burnley College is excited to host competitions in vital industry areas including Sport, Health and Social Care, and a major Institute of Technology day featuring Digital and Engineering challenges.
Each event draws students from across the county – including all partner colleges – offering a dynamic platform to connect education and industry.
The Lancashire Colleges’ Skills Competition Programme is more than a contest; it is a foundational element of skills development, designed to help students build technical expertise, collaboration, communication, and resilience. These events promote the skills needed by local employers, support career exploration and encourage more students to take part in prestigious competitions such as WorldSkills UK.
Neil Burrows, Director of Skills and Innovation at Burnley College, said:
“We are incredibly proud to host these prestigious competitions and to welcome students from all across Lancashire. These events are not only a celebration of technical achievement and creativity, but also of the collaborative spirit that defines our region’s education sector.
“Watching our talented learners compete alongside their peers from partner colleges is always inspiring and strengthens our shared commitment to powering Lancashire’s future workforce.”
The Sport competition opens Burnley College’s hosting on 3 March, followed by Health and Social Care on 11 March. The programme concludes with a landmark IoT Day on 18 March, advancing the digital, engineering, and health sectors that are vital to Lancashire’s growth.
This year’s Skills Competition Programme is sponsored by the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub and Future U, bringing together all member colleges: Burnley College, Blackburn College, Blackpool and the Fylde College, Blackpool Sixth Form College, Cardinal Newman College, East Lancashire Learning Group, Lancaster and Morecambe College, Myerscough College, Preston College, Runshaw College, and West Lancashire College.
You can follow the competitions on social media using #LancsSkillsComps and on social media via the @burnleycollege and @Lancs_Colls accounts.
